


Nicky On Vacation

by fadeverb



Category: In Nomine
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 10:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadeverb/pseuds/fadeverb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is what happens when demons hang out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nicky On Vacation

**Author's Note:**

> Bethsaida, AKA Nicky, was a PC from a sadly long-dead game of _In Nomine_. This is character fiction for what she got up to when she wasn't pretending to be very gray at the angels on that online network.

This is Pearl's favorite bar. You can tell because it only pretends to be grungy, populated entirely by overpaid young men and women who can afford to buy the very best in pre-ripped clothing and heavy boots to wear out to place where they lean over their terribly expensive drinks and attempt to coax each other into bed. Pearl fits right in here, with that "I'm too trendy for Hot Topic" look he's sporting and the carefully sculpted messy hair. He's gesturing with his midori sour as he talks, mile-a-minute about his television program, real enthusiasm in all his words. And Saida thinks, _This is cute._

This is Saida's favorite vessel, and his newest. You can tell because it's female, cute, dressed up to look like the good girl who doesn't quite realize she's coming across as a bit of an easy lay, and she's smiling as she leans across the table, chin propped on top of folded hands, listening to Pearl's explanations or maybe only providing a good imitation of listening. She looks slightly out of place here, like the new girlfriend of a regular, not quite dressed for the atmosphere but within tolerances. Every so often she glances across the rest of the room, looking to see if enough people are watching her. She knows she looks good. And Eben thinks, _This is cute._

This is Eben's latest host. He's a healthy young man who's had too much to drink, and he'll be staggering from the alcohol in his system once Eben's Forces aren't providing resistance. You can tell because he's sitting at the table with Pearl and Saida, beaming equally between both of them, an imported beer at hand and waiting quietly for the rest of the evening, when things become more interesting from his point of view. The human who holds a Shedite in his head finds this pleasant and fuzzy, these two pretty people who speak with him like a friend despite his awkwardnesses. The Shedite who wears this human like a jacket finds this pleasant and fuzzy, an evening out with people he enjoys, people who might be amenable to later suggestions. And Pearl thinks, _Isn't it nice when Shedim choose cute hosts? I wonder if he'd look good on video, if I chained him to the wall and peeled away his skin and put hot needles through his eyes. I should ask Saida her opinion._

Saida plays with her drink, ice cubes clinking against the glass as she turns it about. "We need to get you laid," she tells Pearl. "I still can't believe you haven't bothered yet. You don't know what you're missing." She reads in his eyes, _Want me adore me pay attention to me show me I'm special look at me look at me look at me._ She smiles at him, twisting a piece of hair between her fingers. She's happy to oblige.

"It just never came up," Pearl says. "I've been busy, and... hey, it's not like I wanted to go mess around with some local without knowing what I was doing and come off badly, right?" He wonders if the Lilim's overestimating him, and if she can see all the things he wants out of life. _Can you get me what I want? I can pay, you know I can pay. Find me useful and get me what I want, and we can all get along. I'll roll over and bare my throat if I can get something out of it, and don't think I don't know how the casting couch works, even if it never involved sex before._

Eben grins, big goofy smile on his host's face. "You know, if you'd mentioned it to me, I could've helped you out with that earlier, kid." He takes a swig of the beer, enjoys it for the taste, for the pointlessness, for the way it does nothing good for this man's body and costs money and turns resources into nothing. _It's all nothing in the end, ladies and gentlemen, from art to trash with a brief stop in the digestive system. Stop holding onto possessions and learn they don't last, use them up at your pleasure and convenience without worrying about having them later. It'll do you good in the end._

Saida leans back in her chair. She's barefoot at the moment, one foot each on a different ankle beneath the table, and she smiles to see that she has the attention of both of them. "We have a few days," she says, "which means being able to take care of that. From several different directions." She considers Pearl thoughtfully, feeling the pull of the first hook she's planted in him, and wonders how many more she can get in there over a single weekend. "Pity you don't have a female vessel handy, or we could go over _every_ angle."

"Or every angel," Eben says, and giggles. He's lost count of how many beers he's run through this host. "Except that's not _Pearl's_ habit, is it? No, it's our dear little Saida who's into screwing angels." He smiles at her fondly. _I've got you, babe, and don't you dare try to run away. Stay away from the Host, baby, they're going to tie you down and break you, I've seen it happen before. Stick with me, babe, and I'll take you wherever you want to go. It never matters in the end, but won't we enjoy the ride?_

"Only the once," says Saida, disdainful sniff for the subject. "That was decades ago. They're not interesting enough to spend the necessary time on unless there's something else to get out of the relationship." She never intends to admit that the relationship didn't get that far, that she fell as hard as she'd ever done for a human with some terrible fluff-brained Swordie who never cared for her, never cared for her at all. _Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and I'll end up with a sword through the chest. I'm being a responsible Tempter and staying far away from temptation once I've recognized it._

"Ha!" Eben says, and bangs his bottle on the table. "I know the truth, Saida baby. Once you go Shedite, you never go back." Centuries of playing with little Impudites who couldn't say no and didn't have any means to demand payment for what he'd done, and then his Dark and Marvelous Prince went and dropped a Lilim in his lap, one he could play long-term games with, all it needed was a bit of the subtle touch and nodding sympathetically at the right moments. It's a beautiful life, and it just keeps getting better.

"Now that's one I haven't heard before," Pearl murmurs, and finishes off his drink. Sweet and sharp, barely enough for a buzz, and he's in the mood now to shred something slowly, artistically, gracefully, show off his knives to someone who can appreciate them. _I'm on television, baby, and that makes me a star. Don't you want a little taste of my fame? Don't you want to be my friend?_ "How about we take Eben's pet back to my place and get creative?"

"It sounds like a plan. Pick up someone else on the way for Eben to swap to, we can talk about our favorite tricks, and then after we're done with that for the night," Saida has the sweetest smile she uses for these occasions, so cute on her pretty little face, "I can introduce you to the marvelous world of sex." She shakes her head in mock pity. "Your Prince is best buddies with Lust, and you're just getting into this. I'm shocked, Pearl. Shocked and dismayed. You have so much catching up to do."

"I assume I'm invited to the second part as well as the first?" Eben sprawls in his chair, happy enough with the beer and the foot touching his leg, that reminder that she's remembering him. _I could tear you apart if I wanted to, baby, but we're both happy pretending I'm your adoring puppy, so let's leave it that way and we'll all stay happy. One big happy family. Don't you dare leave me, babe. I'm happy when you're happy and cooperative._

"I could hardly leave my oldest friend out of that," Saida says. She has a slower, lazy smile she saves for these conversations. "And some things you need three people to do properly anyway." She slips her feet into her sandals, stands up, and watches to see who else in the bar is looking when she bounces on her heels like someone more innocent than she's ever been. _Look at me, stupid little monkeys, and want me. How much would you pay for what I can offer you? Better make it worth my while, or I'll take you apart when the music stops. Your purpose is to keep me entertained, and if you fall down at the job, better believe I'll make you pay. I can find a way to make you entertaining whether you want to be or not._

Eben and Pearl follow her, one at each side, three friends heading home at the end of a long night. Happy, pretty people walking out into the night, and on the way they collect a fourth, a pretty girl who's smiled at Pearl a few times before, finally given an invitation to their next set of games while Saida whispers promises in Eben's ears. _There we go. A host for the Shedite to use when we get around to doing entertaining things to his current host._ Three demons and two humans step out into the night, and the demons are all smiling. _Aren't we happy, pretty people? Don't you want to be us?_


End file.
